Sunday, July 31, 2011

My HUSBAND has been working outside our house with a friend, putting in retaining wall, pretty much all the way around the house--his plan is to plant lots of hosta, and I think I've let you know about that before. Today, we decided together that we would clean up the building materials from the basement that have been rotting down on the carport--put some things away, scrape the weeds out of the retaining wall we put in a year or so ago, and just generally clean up.

It was a mess. We kept at it, taking little breaks now and then, and a drink break about halfway through, and I can now say that it is done. It only took us 6 hours to do an hour's worth of work, but it's done. The junk is bagged and in the garage so that it doesn't get wet and nasty, and a couple items are too big to put inside, so we left them outside, clear of the doors so that hubby can contact his friend when he's ready to clean the lower garages.

Oh, I can hardly wait!

But we are tired, and I'm FAMISHED, and I don't know if I can make it to the kitchen to make something for supper. Moving is really over-rated, you know?

I was wondering if there was any word on the missing girl from New Hampshire, so I'm going to go and look, but it would appear that there is no further news. Lots of tips, but none that are leading anywhere. After reviewing the video online, however, I see that the parent's home has--get this--WHITE LATTICE on the porch. But that's as far as I can see anything. Surprising that I wouldn't remember that, but that the cards would pick it up. Now, I know, lots of people have that lattice on their porch--and I'm not saying that the parents are suspect in the case...but the police are putting up crime scene tape. Who knows?

So I'm waiting for more information. In the meantime, I'm hungry. So off to the kitchen I go.

Moving is over-rated. I could easily climb into bed and fall fast asleep, but I won't stay that way, so I will head to the kitchen and get some food made.

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Okay, so this girl has been missing since Monday. The FBI is involved. I drew:

9 of Swords reversed
4 of Cups reversed
The High Priest Reversed

My thought is that the girl is dead. The parents are saying that she was on the computer in her room preparing for bed. That alone has me concerned. What parent allows an 11 year old girl on the computer at 9 pm when the pedophiles come out?

My feeling is that it was someone she thought she knew, and it's someone that she thought she could trust. The 9 of swords indicate to me that she can see a wooden lattice, like what people put up under their porches to hide what's under the porch. That's where she's buried. The 4 of cups tells me he's a pedophile and that he took her virginity (rape) before he killed and buried her where ever this lattice is at. It could also indicate there's a water spicket, as all the cups are turned upside down--for the hose you see.

He has been in trouble with the law (2 of swords), and he believes that he was wrongly and falsely accused. He maintains his innocence, even as he's registering for the sex offender registry. She is bound below the earth. Jeez, this is ugly!!! There may be a vine, or a rosebush or just a dead bunch of branches on the lattice. From the 5 of pents, although I see pink and yellow, which may indicate roses...climbing roses.

A young man will find where she is buried. (Page of Discs). It will make him very, very sad, or the young man may know where she is, and not be telling anyone, and be very intimidated...but I strongly feel that there is a young man involved somehow. She can also see flowers like black eyed susans.

I keep asking when will they find her, I keep pulling cards that tell me different things...The 5 of pents might also be the $$ put up by the individual person, as I know there is a reward.

I asked again, when will they find her, and drew the 7 of cups (Delusion) reversed. Tell me this isn't another Caylee Anthony--although the cards are different. Everything reversed. Delusion, with cups that aren't really there. This guy is truly guilty of the crimes he's committed, and truly delusional, but appears rational and normal on the outside. The High Priest reversed might indicate someone from church, who is generally well thought of, and fairly good with children, and easily gains their trust. I understand it's a small community. This is a person who is actually viewed by the community as a person who is god-fearing--but he is nothing of the sort.

She has a middle eastern look to her, and at first, I thought perhaps that she might be adopted...don't ask where that one came from--I don't see it in the cards. It was just something that "came" to me. That she is special somehow.

Anyway, that's all I want to "see" for right now. Saved for future reference to see how this all plays out.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

I went to the office today, and two people commented on my hair color.

"Did you do something with your hair?"

Hmm...maybe I'm a little too much a wallflower?

The day went by pretty much without incident. I came home with my makeup dripping into my eyes--burning, burning. So I washed off all of that. I sort of wish I'd purchased some astringent--to get the excess off that the soap couldn't get to--but maybe tomorrow.

I did buy some new makeup. The stuff I had was pretty old, and they say you should replace your makeup every six months--especially the mascara. Well, I didn't have any mascara to throw away, so I bought some new, and a new blush and a different lipstick, which really doesn't show up on me at all--in fact, it sort of tones down my lips--lightening them, which might be okay. I haven't really had the chance to see what it all looks like "together", and won't until tomorrow. A pic of the "new me" tomorrow morning, if anyone cares to look.

I'm working on a new circular shawl, and I'm into about row 20. It's still not big enough to have on my 24" needles, so I'm thinking about transferring it to some plastic needles tonight to work on it, and then when it's big enough, I'll put it back on the bigger needle. Of course, when it's HUGE, I'll have to move it again.

I'm working it in a magenta alpaca/silk, and the result is quite nice. I figure I'll have lots of that left over to make another shawl of some other type. I was thinking "EvenStar" on Ravelry. Not enough of the shawl to put a pic on here yet. I want to wait until it's a bit bigger.

Well, off I go to prepare myself something to eat, take my evening medication, maybe watch a little bit of television and find some size 4 knitting needles to work on this shawl. I can hardly wait to start!

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

I don't usually cause men to drop down before me, and I'm no beauty by anyone's standards, especially my own--but I finally decided to do something with my hair.

I thought a long time about what I should do. Hair cut. Perm. Color. Okay, all of that would be good, but the budget is limited, so I opted for one out of three.

Oh, I think I could have done better than that...but I didn't and that's all she wrote about the matter.

It must not have made too much of an impact. No one at the office even noticed that I'd colored my hair--let alone that I wore it slightly differently this morning when I finally arrived. I didn't say a thing to anyone. They didn't even look at me. I was really surprised, because it's such a CHANGE!

It's pretty, um
Red.
Which I was going for auburn, but thought with my dark brown hair, I would have some reddish highlights and that would be it. Instead, the grey must be overpowering my dark brown, because I turned out more...um...did I say it before? Red.

I remind myself of a girl named Mari in High School. And just a little grey left at the temples--perfectly appropriate...except it's...um...Red.

Not that I don't like red. It just makes me look like I've got an army of zits on my entire face. Now I have to wear makeup to even out the skin tones. And my lips--shoot--where did the color in my face go? And look at that chin, would you!? Don't you dare say "which one"?

I think it's a good color, but I have to figure out what to do with it now. It needs body like my body needs LESS body. (Way less--haha--pun!)

I'll have to go to the beauty parlor and find out what to use on my face in this steamy weather so that the makeup doesn't end up all in a puddle around the soles of my shoes to the point where I leave little makeup footprints all over the office. I have what they call "combination skin". This is just another phrase for "get out the plastic honey--you're gonna need it to fix this!"

But my hair is past my shoulders in back, and I think it looks good. Especially when it's clean. I'm hoping to let my hair grow long again, which means regular trimming. And if I want it to all be one color, I'll have to color it regularly. With one box, I can dye it now. Any too much longer, and it might take two boxes. I suppose I could color my hair purple.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

(he's not Hazy. He's just a little foggy.)
It was so hot today that Dick Cheney waterboarded himself.

(and it was unsuccessful)
Hillary Clinton was so hot, she was wearing her pantsuit without the pants

(Bill wasn't the one who took them off her, either.)
It's so hot that I saw two trees fighting over a dog.

(Why is it that I can really see this happening? Too much Mojito's for me.)
It's so hot, today I saw a chicken lay a fried egg.

(And she left it, right there in the middle of the road--then along came Col. Sanders...)
It's so hot that it makes me want to take off my skin and sit in my bones

(you do that, and I'll go jump in the pool, instead)
It was so hot today Floyd Landis tested positive for Snapple.

(yeah, Snapple and Mojito)
It was so hot my cab driver was wearing an oscillating turban.

(this was like watching the Exorcist...sort of)
It was so hot at "The View” that their new cast member is Ted Williams.

(what? I don't get this one? Is it just because he has a big mouth with a big wind?)
It was so hot out that North Korea test launched a long range Popsicle.

(why is it always North Korea has the great ideas?)
It was so hot today I saw a funeral procession pull into a Dairy Queen.

(They had too...they corpse was thawing.)
It was so hot today I saw an Amish guy buying an air conditioner.

(It was for his Mennonite brother in law, tho)
It was so hot Bill Clinton got a slurpee and then went to 7/11.

(Was that before or after he took off Monica's dress? And Hillary's pants?)
Cows are giving evaporated milk.

(and you were expecting?)
its so hot, the squirrels are handling their nuts with potholders

(among other things....)
It's so hot that I have discovered that asphalt has a liquid state.

(yes, it does. That's why you see furrows in the road at the corner of Grand River Ave and Wright Rd.)
It's so hot that I have found out (the hard way) that my seat belt buckle could be used as a branding iron

(look at the bright side, you can tell people that your nickname used to be beltable betty)

Boy-o this week has been a scorcher. Weather man says that we have a cold front coming that will drop temps into the 70's.

But I cannot find my bathing suit...and boy, if I could find that puppy, it would be on my body, and I'd be walking around the house and scaring myself every time I passed a mirror.

I think I have said "Hot" in a previous post, but you know what? It isn't hot. It's RIDICULOUSLY HOT.

Hubby and I drove to the store to get groceries and have some breakfast, and when we got home, our electric was off. No fans, no A/C NOTHING. So we both stripped (look away my friend before your eyes burn out) and went to sleep after calling the electric company to report the outage. Somewhere in the middle of the "afternoon delight" the electric came on, so we slept just a little longer.

I forgot to bring my chairs home from the reunion party, but it's okay. My girlfriend has them, I guess. I'll get them back another day.

In the meanwhile, I'm going to do everything I can to keep cool and dry. Especially after yesterday--just to let you know...when I got home after the party, the outfit I was wearing wouldn't come off--it was literally stuck to my body SO TIGHTLY that it wouldn't be removed.

But I did finally wriggle out and was able to go to sleep without it. Ahhhh...some days it's wonderful, just to get naked. Again, you should prolly not think about me in those images...scar you for LIFE I tell you.

Well, enough for now. Heading back to my web-surfing habit. See you next time.

People started arriving to the 35th reunion at about 6 last night. I sat in a chair up by the barn, and watched a certain gentleman walk in--pretty sure of himself, and sit at the far end of the property...by himself...facing me, though not really looking at me. We'll leave his name a secret for the moment--and probably for all time

We decided at the planning meeting for the 35th reunion that I would do some Tarot readings for people who wanted one. What can I say? I have good ideas now and then. Everyone there thought it was a great idea. And it's not like I have ever done that sort of thing--reading for lots of people at a party, but I figured I could handle it.

I pegged the guy across the lawn as a confident, single male, probably a womanizer, and never at a loss to have someone, and nearly anyone of his own choosing, in his bed. He appeared to me to be predatory--almost like a hawk, sitting there, watching his prey come to the party.

I waited about an hour before I started reading, and I read until the sun went down, which was about 3 hours later. I was exhausted, and my hands were sticky, which made the cards sticky and difficult to shuffle. There were long readings and short readings. Some people were very surprised at what the cards seemed to tell me. And then the confident fellow came to sit across from me to have his reading.

This surprised me, in the first place, because I can spot this type of man from a million miles away. I pulled

Ace of Swords, Knight of Wands, 4 of pents.

And I just said Hmpf. To which he replied, "I only have 6 months to live, right?" Which made me laugh. I saw a separation (Ace), and a lonely man, who was now very materialistic and on the prowl--not for money--but for flesh...but instead of telling him what the cards said, as I got to "separation", he started in.

"My wife left me for another man, and took my son and moved to Australia."

While it COULD be true, my inital thought was "this dude is lying to me--not only has he no son, he has never been successfully married"...so I lied right back, but kept it to myself.

I said "You know, the children do come back--wait until he's older and wants to know his father, and then send $$ for a ticket to come see you." And that's what I see in the cards. Even though that's not what I saw in the cards, there was no point in telling this guy anything anywhere near the truth, because he was just going to blow it off anyway.

But instead, I saw him, recently separated from a recent conquest, and hunting for another notch on his "gun". Sad, but true. Most people's readings were normal, though. There were some who were laughing, and some who left concerned about what was perhaps coming, or who might be affected for good or ill. Mostly, I did 3 card readings, telling a story with the cards. Sometimes, the cards seemed to want to do past, present future, and and other times, wished to be read in sequence. They gave me lots of practice, and lots of testing--but they only didn't make sense on one reading. One reading was for a woman, happily married, and I definitely saw a rivalry between her and another woman. I let her know that she had the upper hand, and that it most likely wasn't that he was "fooling around" with HER, but quite the opposite, and trying to create a problem--I told her to watch out for that woman, but to remember that her husband loves HER, and not this other person, and that eventually all would be well, but still cautioned that it's a good idea to know who your friends are, and that you have to watch out for the women who intend to do you harm.

Eventually, it got too dark to really read, and I had to depend on the pictures to tell me what the card was--some were recognizable in even semi darkness, others were completely unfamiliar, and we had to use the light from people's cell phones to see what the cards were.

Beyond the reading table, there was merriment and music and chatter.

Then they brought out the picture show on dvd, and all the neat pics of people we grew up and went to school with--there on the screen. Some had already died, but most of them were still around and there to say "Oh my gawd, THERE'S BILL!" or "Who's that?"

The party was a smash hit. Linnette's mojito mix went over really well, and before we knew it, the mix was gone, gone, gone. That's when the party really started to rock, too. The band played for quite a long while, and just before I left, they were playing a twist, and I just had to get into the mix. Before I knew it, one of the men in the circle grabs my hand and pulls me out to dance in the center of the circle, and I blew out all the stops and went a little bit crazy in the barn. It was fun, but it SURELY winded me!

Not used to that level of exertion.

After this, I retrieved my cd's from Linnette's cd player, said my "goodbyes" and "see you in 5 years", and went to my car and packed up and left. It was just a little before midnight, and I thought--"Ah, time to turn into a pumpkin!" as I started the car and left the party grounds.

All in all, a success. Thanks to all the planners and to Linnette for allowing us to use her barn for the party. It was a great time, and everyone was really glad they came. And this being my first ever reunion, I had a lot of fun too. Now, I wish I'd gone to all the parties, but I think of all the parties, from what I heard other people saying, "This was the best one of them all."

I have a hunch that it's going to happen again. I just wish I didn't have to wait for 5 years.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

I'm going to sort of free-wheel on this post, because I'm so hot. And because I'm so hot. Did I say I was HOT? Well, if I didn't...here it comes...wait for it....I'm totally hot. I'm so hot that the air conditioner wolf-whistles at me. I'm so hot, that you don't even have to turn on the stove, you could cook an egg on my forehead.

I'm so hot, that I beat up Satan and took over residence in hell for a while...just to stay cool!

With temps in the 90's nearly all week, and heat indices in the 100's, and humidity at 50% or better, we are ALL sweating between our toes. Goodness gracious alive, Miss Anderson! It's so hot, that Satan decided to vacation in Alaska this year!

I'm stuck in my bedroom with our "one room" air conditioner, smelling the grand hume (liquid fertilizer from the cow farm down the road) that was just laid down in the hot hot hot...(again, did you hear me say hot?) soil. Poor plants are gonna burn up in all that nitrogen.

And as I said in an earlier post, this weekend is my High School 35th Reunion. YAYAYAYAYAY!

Can't wait, and I've been waiting a week...in this hot, hot...(oh, get over it) air. It's so hot that the breeze is just sayin' "No freaking way!" And blowing hot air around is almost funny--that is, if it wasn't so ding dong hot.

Guess I can't say it enough....although I'm sure you wish I would.

I did however, pull a water card this evening from my tarot deck. Which tells me that there will be rain tonight (hope hope hope)...at least SOMEWHERE it will rain tonight. Coming home, there were some promising clouds, but they blew away in this (you guessed right) hot dry air.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Keep in mind that I've not been to any of the high school reunions, mostly because I wasn't so close to anyone, except for a select few. Everyone was out to get the best education they could so that they could survive in the jungle "out there". Most of us made it, with few exceptions.

Anyway, last night there was a planning committee meeting, and a friend of mine from High School and I decided to go to see what was up about all the hullaballoo. She offered several days of her hands and heart to help with preparations, and I offered up my Saturday and my tarot reading as entertainment.

There will also be a old-timey rock n roll band to play some of our favorites. The whole thing is being held on the Mint farm in St. Johns, and it looks like it will be quite a "do". I had planned to forget about ever going to any of my high school reunions, remembering high school as being very clique driven without a way to become a part of ANY of them, simply because I was "different" than most.

I'm still different, but the others have figured out that the world is a pretty tough place to be--and so they have toned down the "little circle of friends" stuff and reached out to some of us that were initially on the periphery of society.

I call it the jungle--the great equalizer. You find out who has it and who hasn't--the ability to succeed and survive in the wild. High school doesn't prepare you completely, and quite honestly, neither does college, but it does a better job of it than high school.

In any case, I'm going this year, after 35 years of pretty much silence. And I'm going in as a fortune teller--and if things go well tonight, I might just go pro with it, hang out my shingle and let the word out that this gal has a fine link to thing paranormal. Who knew?

And even tho my friend Carol is having some home-sickness and worry about her adopted Indian father's upcoming surgery, I think that she's pretty excited about the prospect as well.

At the end of the meeting, things settled down and I pulled out my office cards and read one of the classmates coming future. There was a real warning and threat in the cards, and I hope that she listened. If not, well...that's her business. But the plan is to dress up and make up like a gypsy and have my crystal ball and candles (must buy those...remember) and to have at least 2 sets of decks--my Celtic Circle and my Psychic Tarot cards. One or the other will speak to me clearly that night. The psychic tarot is pretty HOT the last couple of days. I think it desires to be the one chosen, but I read the Celtic Circle so much better. So I'll take both, and see which works the best for the group.

So you won't hear from me until Sunday and I'll tell you all about it.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Yes, Harry Potter fans, I went to see the last installment to the Harry Potter Saga.

I have to say, it was 100% better than the book, which for me, was a disappointment. Loved all the other books, but wish that the last one had been better--on a scale of 1-10, it was about a 6 in comparison with the rest of the books.

The movie, however, a SOLID thumbs up. My husband didn't care for it, but he's not a HP fan. I really think my son would have loved it, although I'm not sure he's seen any of the other HP films--other than the ones I took him to see, that is.

I guess there's a new Batman movie coming out in a year, and a couple others that I'd like to see, but might wait for the video. In the meanwhile, I think I want to watch out for some spinoffs from the saga--I've been hearing that the whole world is open to people who want to write in continuation of the series--more adventures for the Potter clan--I'd like to see Hermione and Ron developed more--but that's just me.

However, I think that the whole thing will probably have a cap on it--copyright and all that--but we'll see. I think it would be great if Harry's story continued.

Have you ever had a weekend "plan" and yet it doesn't quite turn out the way you expect?

This weekend, the "plan" is to work on laundry (started), go see Harry Potter (I'm pushing for today, but it might end up happening tomorrow), and pull the fence out of the grass (this is definitely a tomorrow thing--beginning early in the morning, so that we don't get too hot--the weatherman says it's going to be a scorcher tomorrow.).

I think if we keep it down to those three things, we might actually have the "plan" work out.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Starland Vocal Band's song has been a frequent flyer in my house for the last several days. Just not in the way you might THINK. Get your mind out of the gutter!

I'm talking about an afternoon NAP! I've been taking one nearly everyday this week, being completely EXHAUSTED after the day's work at the office and walking back to my car. I think it has something to do with the intense heat, but whatever is causing it, when I get home, I start falling asleep in my knitting chair, and end up heading for the bedroom for a little snooze--say an hour or even two--getting some much-needed rest, apparently, before I go on with the rest of the day, and either blogging or checking Ravelry--even Facebook gets a little look-see before I turn in for the rest of the night.

Why wait until the middle of a cold, dark night?

I mean REALLY now!? Does sleep have to be done only when it's dark outside? I find that darkness does cause me to feel sleepy. With the bedroom drapes drawn tight, though, I can sleep at ANY time of day. In fact, I just took a two-hour nap, and it's nearly sundown, and the drapes are drawn--and I'm YAWNING!

Of course, Afternoon Delight is a song about knocking your socks off at lunchtime. Trying to keep it a little p.c. here, people. The song came out in 1976/1977, and it was one of the albums that I purchased when I was in college. I played the VINYL RECORD (some of you might not remember those) over and over until the needle on the turntable was worn with use, and EVEN TODAY--some (mumble mumble) years later, I can still remember the entire song, and sing along when I hear it on the retro stations.

Imagine that? Me? Retro? HA!

And of course, at the tender age of (mumble mumble), I didn't really understand that the song was about doing the horizontal mambo. I was just SO naive when I was a youngster. The song was done on the television show GLEE! recently, and it brought back all sorts of good memories. The gang I used to hang out with, the friends I made beyond my core group, and the relationships that came and went. Sigh, that was a good year.

And lest I turn about and spin onto a rant about how my parents decided that they couldn't afford to pay for my subsequent years at college, and how that resulted in my NEVER obtaining even an Associates Degree for myself--ah--oops. It was a difficult time, and I was TERRIFIED of going into debt and not be able to find a job to pay it off. So the issue was dropped. I did TRY to go to school part time, only to find that my likes and dislikes had now become too varied to settle down to one thing that could only bore me to death after a few weeks or months.

For I am only temporarily satisfied doing any one job for any length of time. After a few weeks, I'm ready to move on to something different--bigger, better and pay more more more. And more recognition in the form of promotion. I think in terms of stairs....level out for a while, then climb. Level out for a while, then climb. I'm an upwardly mobile sort. Too long in one thing and I stagnate and become very cranky. So a career probably wasn't a good choice for me anyhow.

My dream was to have a motor home and travel all over the United States, stopping here or there, obtaining some obtuse waitress job--work long enough for a tank of gas, and then head out for parts unknown, taking pictures and making friends all along the way. Of course, the reality is that at 6 miles to the gallon in a motor coach, $20 in gas doesn't get you very far at the price of gas THESE DAYS...but who knew that the price would go so high when it was only $0.50 when I was a youngster? Who knew, indeed.

And so, I'm a stay at home, go to the office, work a day, sleep a night, who has integrated a little "afternoon delight" into my day...just later on...Maybe I need the nap to deal with my feeling of boredom? That could well be. But I get restless when I get bored, and that is not conducive to naps or sleep.

Whatever. I still like a nap when I get home from work. Of course, it does make me restless when I lie down to go to sleep at night...and that's why I take a sleeping pill! Still there's just no way that I can let go of my afternoon nap.

Monday, July 11, 2011

Okay, I've drawn a random card. How funny and strange that I draw this card so often! I generally call this card my significator, because she is *so* like me. The Queen of Swords is tough as steel, and not easy to get along with. She's forthright and for the most part honest, and doesn't like to take other people's crap. She's a "cut through the mustard" sort, and while she has friends, she trusts herself above all others, and doesn't usually ask for help, even when she might need it. She stands straight and tall, walking quickly through the wildflowers, her sword at the ready should she befall any sort of trouble. She's capable and thinks of herself as youthful (no matter how old she is). Her judgment is swift. Her punishment is true and never misses.

She also stands for imagination. The Queen of Swords is a constant "thinker", always imagining new things. Sometimes, her imagination gets a little ahead, but for the most part, her imaginings are spot on.

And she's thinking about...

I drew the Empress (reversed). So she's not imagining anything about this "other woman", but rather imagining what she stands for--that being...hmm...dunno. I was told recently that a friend of mine, who has a daughter, who has also had a daughter, and wondering what all of that means...so another card...

Lots of people in this draw today...The Knight of Wands. This is the guy full of adventure and fire. No idea what he might stand for, but I could guess he might be the father of the grandbaby. The father of the grandbaby is faithless and only looking out for himself. He cannot be trusted nor can he be depended upon...which means that my friend's daughter was likely abandoned by this man, whoever he might be.

See my imagination working, here?

Next Card is the Lord (Emperor), reversed--and the Emperor doesn't like it when he's reversed. So he's not happy with all the goings on. This might be the girl's father or even a surrogate father--my friend's latest boyfriend/relationship or even my own ex (who is also her ex).

My goodness. It would almost appear to be a soap opera going on, but I doubt it...even so, my imagination runs wild, as you might well guess.

Lastly, I ask if I'll be able to see my friend in August, and I pull the Knight of Cups. This is, I would wager, her boyfriend who will either suggest that we meet, or will stand in the way in an effort to protect my friend's feelings, perhaps? Since cups deal with emotions, I think he'll be all for it--if only to find out what sort of person he's dealing with.

The whole emphasis of this having to do with choices, and not making the right ones. Perhaps it's not a good idea that I meet with my friend; that the Emperor will be even less happy about it. Quite honestly, as the Queen of Swords, I don't care. People have been told that should something questionable happen to me, that my ex is the first person of interest in the case.

So there you have it. Connections between me and a bunch of other people, our lives intertwined with karmic like threads, which are soon to be revealed. We will see what occurs.

Yes, I think that's how today is going to pan out. Rain, thunder, lightning--the whole nine yards. Since the weather box on my computer says that it will be cloudy today with a high of 72--I know, sigh of relief from this corner of the globe--but I drew a fire card with arrows today, just a general question about the weather, and lets just say it looks a lot like lightning.

Hard night on a bed that just isn't doing it for me, too. I am so sore. The second I get some food into me, the very next thing will be some Advil. My back is killing me, and husband is just going to have to break down and buy a sleep comfort bed, because I can't take this temperpedic mattress. It's soft and warm and all that, but doesn't give me enough support in my middle back. Pain is just not my strong suit. I didn't sleep well last night--tossing and turning and sticking to the bed because SOMEBODY turned off the air conditioning last night because HE was cold, instead of just turning up the thermostat.

What's really horrible is that I showered this morning, and my hair is still quite wet, and I have no motivation to go and comb it. You should have seen me in the mirror before the shower--I was quite frightening. I think I even let out a little scream on first look--and then realized it was my own reflection in the mirror. At first, in groggy state, I didn't realize who that was staring back at me.

Well, I have a lot of work to do before I can come home and get back to sleep again. I think I will drink a lot of ice water this morning, in case the pain is my kidneys beating me up for only drinking one full glass of water the entire day yesterday. I don't normally drink a lot of water--even in summer--preferring Pepsi, but then I sweat brown stuff, and I don't think it's good for my system.

Again, I have to get going, wish I could stay and relax with you for a little longer, but duty calls. Perhaps something interesting will happen to me at the office today. Wouldn't that be a trip?

Oh, and speaking of trip...I've asked hubby to take me to the Monteray Bay Aquarium. I want so badly to see it. Perhaps he will look into taking a trip and spending some time in California on the beach. The trip will cost a little bit--since we'd also need hotel and food, airfare and the tickets to go to the Aquarium. Plus it might be fun to visit Disneyland out there, too. I'm thinking a nice package where we can get some shows in--it would have to go through a travel agent, but I'm pretty sure it can be done.

Ah, there I go again, rambling off at the mouth when I should be heading for the office. Goodbye for real, this time.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Well, perhaps eating isn't what the problem is--but rather "preparation". Who wants to stand over the top of a hot stove in this weather (or even a hot grill)? Certainly not me!

So I am in my air conditioned room, while the oven heats up. I have the fish sticks on the pan ready to go in the second the oven "dings" that it's at 425 degrees (not much more than the weather outdoors) and then I will return to the kitchen to drop the sticks into the oven, then back into the bedroom to breathe again.

My hair is in a little ponytail in the back and my bangs are held off my face with a semi-circular thing made of plastic that I don't remember the name of. It's not a barrette, but a...a..

Do you see what this heat has done to my brain?

Hubby and I took a little ride in the car for no reason at all today, after sweating ourselves silly outside with the "flower garden" he's been saying all spring that he was going to do--but apparently, it took too much "work", and he ended up with a shiny pate (even though he does still have hair there), and dripping sweat. He ran inside for a moment, and when he returned outdoors, I offered a ride in the car, and he went for it in a heartbeat. The connection between car and air conditioned ride to do nothing at all was not lost on him.

And when we returned, we stopped at Quality Dairy and had ice cream cones.

Can you say Yum?

But before long, after the ice cream cone, I fell asleep (in the air conditioned room, of course). And the day passed without me. It's almost 6pm, now, and I've really not done a thing all weekend. Except knit on my socks and feed my animals. After all that, I've been pretty much incognito in the bedroom, asking my husband "Shall we watch tv in the air conditioned room or not?"

We need to bring soil in for the garden--not that anything has been accomplished, mind you, but the hill has to be "somewhat" level to do these retaining wall stacking stone thingies--do they have a real name?? Maybe it's like my plastic "head band" thingie on my head.

A brain is a terrible thing when it's wasted.

Well, I think I'm going to check the weather, check the temp on the oven, turn on the tube and sit down in the air conditioned room and do some more knitting. If I have nothing more strenuous appear on the horizon, I expect that's where you'll find me all evening.

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Every so often, I seem to lose my connection with my blog, or my email or SOMETHING, and I can never figure out what is going on. This goes on for several hours. Then I come home, and get things straight again, only for things to go haywire tomorrow.

The login/password are sufficiently different that I shouldn't think that ANYBODY would be able to hack my account successfully--I use numbers, capitals AND symbols in my passwords EVERYWHERE--so much so, that it's difficult for me to remember them all.

At present, things are going along just fine, thank you very much, but I spent an agonizing day trying to figure out what went wrong, and decided that it occurred when I tried to comment on Murr Brewster's blog, which today had something about fear of spiders and snakes and going wee wee wee all the way home, as it were...but all of that is beside the point.

But I'm home now, and all is once again, well. Even the phone is working just a little too well. I sent a message to a friend of mine on Facebook, and it buzzed into my phone that I had a message from myself--which was, well...sort of weird, in an odd sort of way. So now, I have a ghosted phone, telling me when I've sent a message to someone else, and what I said, rather than their reply. And that's why it's weird. I wouldn't expect the phone to buzz on MY comments/messages, but only on someone else's.

The phone has issues.

Be afraid. Be VERY afraid.

Likewise, I can't find the plug in for the mp3 player. This has my husband completely in knots, because he wants to take the mp3 player on walks down the road, and the battery is deader than the proverb would have you believe.

Likewise, Sprint tells me that the Wi-Fi box I purchased from them, does not need the battery when it's plugged in 100% of the time, and yet, when it's running solely on "wall power", my connection comes on, turns off, comes on, turns off...sorta like a thriller movie strobe, and it's VERY annoying. With the battery in, my connection is secure. So tell me what is going on here.

I figure it's just like everything else. My life is electronically challenged. I might as well hang it up. Until they can come up with a single universal connector, I will be plagued with a different connector (and therefore AC cord) for every small appliance that uses one to "charge up". I'm looking here....let's see, I have one for my camera, one for my phone, one for my laptop, one for my mp3 player, and one for my Nook. There's also one for the USB hub, which I'd hoped to be rid of when I got this new computer with 6 different usb slots--but apparently, the "connectors" like the older style hub rather than the newer style computer slots, and so don't work nearly as well. So still need the hub, and all these little wires and things on my desk.

Wireless? You call this wireless? Even the Wi-Fi is plugged into the wall (even with the battery in), because it doesn't operate long enough with just the battery AND it doesn't operate correctly at all on just AC power. Seems like a conspiracy to me. I remember something about an X-File where Skully was kidnapped by a computer artificial intelligence and nearly became "hard-wired" to the computer itself. Mulder saved her in time of course, but she was horribly tied into a closed bound by all these wires around her body...

Yep. I do believe I'm almost there.

So I believe that I will go to the living room, sit under a fan and knit.

Friday, July 8, 2011

I downloaded this book to my Nook, and read it in 2 days--all 199 pages of it. I saw a fair number of people both in my life currently, and in my past--which frightened me, quite a bit.

There has been something in my life, my very personality, that draws these people to me, and that frightens me even more.

And the "condition" of sociopathy is, at least to me, far more prevalent than the 4% of the population that the book seems to indicate--the idea that the percentage is growing is also frightening.

We all need to watch out for these "charmers" who lie in wait, because they are not always "killers" or "theives", and they do not look like the strangers that our parent's warn us about when we're kids. Many of them come wrapped up in very pretty packages, and if you could apply the phrase "If it seems too good to be true, it probably is" to a person, TAKE HEED and LISTEN TO YOUR GUT! It's probably telling you that there truly is something wrong with that person, but you won't be able to lay your finger on it until they have left your life in shambles, if not outright murdered you. Those who escape the clutches of the sociopath breathe HEAVY sighs of relief when they are gone.

As I said, there are enough of these people in the world now, preying on the "helpers" and "fixers" (which many women are prone to) that I believe the percentage to be FAR HIGHER than the book indicates.

Also watch for the ones who blame their circumstance on everyone but themselves, and look at you as if to say "poor me". BEWARE the one you feel "sorry for", when in fact, if they just got up off their collective and DID something, they could far better their own lives. BEWARE the empty eyes and soul-lessness, the risky business dealings, with life and limb--FOR GOLLY'S SAKE! OPEN YOUR EYES AND SEE THEM FOR WHAT THEY ARE.

God help us all should one make it to the White House...READ THIS BOOK. It is a valuable piece of information that will literally take the blinders off and allow you to point them out WHEREVER you might be. In fact, I plan to read it again in a month or so, once I shake this feeling that I narrowly escaped something years back, when I was too young to figure it out--and all I had was my intuition. The book is a MUST READ for anyone considering marriage during the pre-marriage therapy. Trust me, it can't hurt, and might save your life.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Well, I was in high school when it happened. I have never forgotten it. I wish that I could get to the high school reunion so that I could relate the information to the person I did it for, but I have no idea...well, let's just start at the beginning.

It was 9th grade French class, taught by a teacher who was feared by everyone (even me, but to a lesser degree), and respected but only out of fear, not because he was a "good guy". He wasn't a good guy. He was verbally abusive and probably beat his wife as well, but we won't go into that, because I can't make those types of statements.

The setting is a sports assembly/pep rally, and everyone was in the gym preparing to cheer on the football team. When the French teacher/coach came to the microphone to say a few words, there were "boos" coming from the 9th grade section of the gymnasium. This is not something you did to this coach, and he was ticked off about it.

When we returned to French class, people were still milling about in the hallway, and the teacher came into the class and asked us who was booing him. One student said he thought he saw some guys in ties--and that was all it took.

The teacher stepped into the hallway and snagged the first student that was on the 9th grade football team, and asked him about the booing--to which he flatly denied--I mean, what the heck is he going to do? Tell the truth with the prospect of being tossed from the team???? Yeah, right.

So when this teacher returned to the classroom, he sat in his chair and started in on this 15 year old boy. This lasted for the entire rest of the class hour. By the end of class the young man was entirely humiliated in front of the entire class and crying. It was a horrible scene, and I determined that this teacher was not a person I could either trust or respect. I also determined that he would never have the chance to berate me or treat me that way.

The day came, however, when all of us were diligently cramming for the expected pop-quiz. He went around the room, one by one, and asked each of us if it was important to study.

Now, I will admit, I'm probably not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I was pulling an A in this class without even trying, and I hoped that he would pass over my head, but he did finally come to my station, and ask me the same question. I didn't know at the time that he was REALLY saying "It's not necessary to study today because I'm not going to give a pop-quiz, I just want to jabber about how great I am." Instead he's asking for my opinion, and so I gave it to him.

"Yes, if you want to get good grades, get into college, get a good job and have a family, you have to study and do well in school." I kept on studying. He repeated the question to me, and I was starting to feel singled out, and as I said, the incident with the other boy in class fresh in my mind, I was NOT giving this person an inch of my attention!

"Of course, it's important to study!"

Then he made a mistake.

"Where did you get your mouth?"

And I answered "I got it from my FATHER, and you need to leave me alone!"

And he answered "Well, maybe you'd like to go to the library and count carpet squares?"

"If that's what it takes."

So I went to the library. I was thankful that I didn't have much more than what I got. But after this, the teacher told the school superintendent, who called my mother, and then I was called into the office.

My mother, bless her soul, knew about the teacher, how I felt about him, what he'd done to the other kid, and told the teacher and the superintendent "She just doesn't like you." Why she didn't tell the superintendent what had been done in the classroom weeks before, I will never know.

So I was called into the superintendent's office, and asked why I behaved that way in the classroom. There was no way that I could speak. I'd NEVER been in the superintendent's office for ANY sort of infraction--save perhaps for grade school when I was telling secrets to my friends on the wrong side of school, but that's not what this story is about. I was simply NOT the type of kid to make waves.

The teacher asked me why I didn't respect him. So I looked at him, incredulity in my eyes, and I said

"Because with me, you have to earn respect, and you don't have my respect, and you never will."

And then I left the office, crying, emotional, and finished.

But all these years later, I still feel that what I did from that point on, and what I said at that point, was my only way to stand up for that guy in school (who, by the way, I had a huge crush on). But it has always been my way--to stick up for the people who are picked on (since I was one of those for YEARS), and not to let people like that teacher have a chance to humiliate me in front of class.

Later in life, I found out that he was now superintendent. I cried when that happened. I thought that the asshat's of the world got ahead in life, and that people like me would forever be relegated to the lower rungs of the ladder forever.

Well, I have news for you, Mr. French teacher. One day, you will pay for what you did to my friend, and you will do well to heed my warning. I will be the FIRST to come to Jesus and tell him what sort of "man" you were, and then you will pay.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

I can't believe what the world is coming to. I just can't believe it. The whole world has gone nuts. I will admit that leaving the body so long to decompose made it harder to prove it was homicide, but the prosecution was right--there's no reason to mock up a murder if it's just an accident! I mean, you mock up an accident FOR A MURDER.

It must be there was no air conditioning in the hotel that the jurors stayed in, because there seems to be not a single brain cell amongst them. Had the cops come and found the body SOONER, as in when Kronk first called them, then MAYBE they could have proven (or disproven), because the decomposition wouldn't have been so advanced...perhaps they would have found pool water in the lungs, which would prove her innocence--but THIS!

It's a travesty. There was no justice for Caylee today. One day, she will get her voice and the perp will go straight to hell and not collect $200. Never mind JAIL.

I think I'm angry enough to spit, but I'll wait until I'm away from my computer monitor. Right now, must think of something to eat. Too hot to cook, so I'm thinking a sandwich would hit the spot right about now. I also need to put my hair up off my neck because I'm roasting...get it? Spit? Roasting? Nevermind.

Cards today are (and of course, probably relate to the trial since it's all I could think of today)...

3 of swords (reversed)
3 of Wands
5 of swords

There was not a lot of disagreement in the jury. They based their decision on the foundation of the case--that they couldn't prove it was murder, and so the prosecution lost.

I guess the picture of the duct tape over the mouth and nose wasn't enough. Sad. It's just so sad.

****
In other news, the ginger cat hasn't been around for a little over a day and a half, so I wonder if he's moved on, or perhaps found a home. That would be nice. He is a nice cat. We'll see if he turns up again tonight. It's REALLY hot outdoors--thank goodness for the inside of the house, and the A/C in the bedroom. I'm going to close the windows, turn on the A/C and leave, make my sandwich, and return, watch NCIS on my little television, and maybe order up Direct tv tonight.

Monday, July 4, 2011

Last night, a ginger cat, very much like my Chat, turned up on my back porch--yowling like an alley cat.

I took a little food out. He seemed hungry. He ate half and then ran off. He's definitely not feral, but he's lost--as if someone recently dropped him off here (like they did last year to that poor, half starved kitten. Now, hubby won't let me have another indoor cat. My step son doesn't live here anymore, so I can't palm this cat off on him, either. Hubby says it's fine if the cat stays outdoors, but there's really no place for him to stay in the winter, because the barn is all closed up. He's had fleas or ticks biting him, so I'm going to put some of the stuff on him that keeps those parasites off, then I'm going to try and befriend him and take him to the vet and get him fixed, so that he's not out there making babies and bringing more kittens around.

I hate when people just drop their pets off at our house. They think that just because we have a barn that we have all sorts of money to take care of extra pets, and that is just not so. Even so, I think that's what I'm supposed to use this extra money for--neuter the cat. I hate to have to do that to an outdoor cat--they often don't last long, and he'll probably find another home where they can take him in (already neutered). He's very loving, and seems to have been someone's pet already--but there's no telling WHOSE pet he was. It's also possible that he climbed up on top of a wheel well of someone's car, who stopped to the neighbor's house, and when he felt safe, he ran off. That happens a lot. Then some little girl calls for her cat, and it's not there, and never comes. I've had that happen to me.

But more often than not, it's the irresponsible type who just drop off poor defenseless kittens to starve. That's a hateful thing. I'll try to get a picture of him later. He looks just like my lovin' kitty, Chat. I mean, they could be twins, except Chat is quite a lot older. I would say the kitten is about 6 months old. He's good size, and seems to be reasonably good at hunting. But he was quite thin, so I gave him some food. If he shows up again, I'll feed him some more and maybe set out some clean water. Poor thing.

Sunday, July 3, 2011

I received a check in the mail today, and asked "What should I do with this money?"

I drew 3 cards, all reversed:

Queen of Swords
The Wheel
Queen of Wands

I am not entirely sure what this means.

Usually, I use the Queen of Swords as my own significator, but the reversed orientation of all the cards puts a very odd spin on things. I read this that I could keep the money and spend it on myself, OR I could give it to another, but the person likely wouldn't appreciate it. The Queen of Wands is a fire card, and the woman on the face has bright red hair. I have no friends with red hair, (although I DID have a friend who colored her hair red, but recently changed it back) and therefore it might mean another woman with a fiery spirit.

Or it could mean to spend it on something that speaks to me of both air and fire, or it could be telling me that I'm really completely undecided about which way I should go at present, in which case, I should probably just put it in the bank and hang onto it should something happen with my car.

The other thing I could do is spend it on something fun with my husband. We have an anniversary coming, but I haven't any clue what to do. He's very difficult to get things for. Last year, I bought him socks. This year I got him underwear for his birthday. He seems to appreciate those things a lot more than something that he doesn't really need.

Saturday, July 2, 2011

I took a shower this morning, but by noon, my deodorant not only FAILED, but I had to take another shower so that my husband could be in the same room with me and reapply the deodorant, which by evening had failed again.

I guess I need a new deodorant--or maybe a new husband--nah. The former is DEFINITELY a cheaper alternative.

I did run out of the house, take refuge in my car for about an hour and drove to town with the idea of getting something to eat. Instead, I came back with chips and dip and a few other items, plus a laundry hamper. We've been trying to watch television all day--which reminds me, we did obtain a new television yesterday, and it works no better than our first one did. Can't tune in any local stations, and I think I'm going to have to bite the bullet and buy Direct TV again. HATE that option--it is SO expensive. But right now, I am in my bedroom, in the dark, with only the computer screen keeping me awake, and the air conditioner is on full-blast, keeping the dog cool, but not yet doing much to keep ME cool. Give it time, I tell myself. It's only been 5 minutes. It has to draw all the moisture out of your hot little fingers!

It's true. My hands are so sticky that it's difficult to type, and I want to stop, head to the bathroom and wash my hands. Okay, so perhaps I will do that---when hell freezes over. There is just no way I'm leaving this room except on an emergency. Oops. I just thought of one. Dang. I can't win this can I?

Okay, two hours later, I return to the computer. I spent a little time in the living room with my hubby watching 48 Hours Mystery, and I'm back in the room that is much cooler now. Ahhhhhh.

Oh! Tweet!

Sigh, just more on the Casey Anthony trial. I guess tomorrow hubby and I are going to his mother's to mow the lawn. I will stay in the house and knit, help with supper, and try hard to stay cool. I might watch some of the Casey Anthony trial, too--you never know.

I'm going to miss having my kitty, Chat, laying on my chest tonight. He won't come in the room with the a/c on, and the door has to be kept closed, so unless he's in here when we turn it on, he doesn't come inside. I'll miss him terribly. I really love how much that cat loves me.

Well, I suppose that I will leave the cool room and go back...oh, just shoot me. I really think that all I want to do is go to sleep in here. Maybe I'll go into the other room long enough to get the tv controller and come back to the bedroom to watch some television? Oh, that sounds like a spectacular idea! Maybe I'll get something of a cool drink as well?

Friday, July 1, 2011

At Christmas last year, my mother in law gave my husband a cash gift to buy a new television at Best Buy. We did, and we got the $100 warranty alongside.

We never expected the thing to break before it was two years old, I mean, face it. When we had tube televisions, the tubes went out, and you replaced the tube, and got your tv back. Then they came out with transistors, and you had to replace a circuit board, and then you got your tv back.

Now, it would appear that you have to replace the tv!

Our tv died last month. Since we had the warranty, we called Best Buy and they had someone come out and get it. They "couldn't" work on it in our home, so I suppose I don't understand why it took them 3 days to come and get it, but that's another story for another blog. Poor thing said "Fzit" and went to black and wouldn't turn back on.

We found out that if the repair cost more than the original purchase price, they would replace the tv with the SAME tv or one of better value, and that was our understanding.

What they DON'T tell you is that once you USE the warranty, it is then NULL AND VOID, so if you get another tv for replacement, you have to buy another warranty! The tv's get really hot, and that burns up the capacitors (which are cheap at the manufacturing level), which burns up the board, which can take out your screen (and those are the most expensive part), and then while you have a replaced tv, you have no warranty for it.

And of course, they don't tell you any of this--that the tv won't last but a year or so. They are basically throw aways. I don't know about you, but spending that kind of money on something you're just going to throw away in a year is too much!

I have a friend who replaces these capacitors....so if you DIDN'T buy the warranty, know that all is not lost. But they can only be counted on if it's a higher end television that will SHUT ITSELF OFF BEFORE IT BURNS UP THE CIRCUIT BOARD AND THE SCREEN IN THE PROCESS. So when you BUY the television, make sure that it has a SHUT OFF that will shut off the television before the capacitor burns out everything.

Also, if your television is continuously pixelated, it's probably telling you that the capacitor is going out.

Also, check the FAN frequently, and dust off the air holes. The bigger the fan, the better it will help cool the television.

So keep your eyes open for these things, and make sure of that shut off, it could save you hundreds of dollars.